Marshall may stand again

BY TRACY NEAL

Nelson Mayor Kerry Marshall has not ruled out the possibility of standing for a second term at next year's local body elections.

However, for now he's standing by his statement two years ago that his mayoralty would be a "three-year commitment".

"That's the line I have taken, but who knows what might happen between now and next year? At some stage, I will confirm whether I will or not, but I've not yet talked to my colleagues," Mr Marshall said yesterday.

He said he was having second thoughts because he had been "under some pressure" to commit to completing projects that were only "half done".

"I'm standing by my initial statement at this point in time, but I'm flattered that some people think I should put myself up again," said Mr Marshall, who is 69 but prefers to identify with a recent statement by the Listener magazine that "70 is the new 50".

He said being mayor of Nelson city presented different sorts of challenges to when he was mayor of Richmond borough and then Tasman district.

"Nelson is different because it hasn't undergone that kind of structural change. At the last election, we talked about wanting to make some improvements, and we are doing that, but it takes time."

He knew there were people who did not like the council, but its hallmark was that it wanted to make a difference, and "get on and do the job".

Deputy Mayor Rachel Reese, whose appointment two years ago was widely touted as her being groomed as Mr Marshall's successor, said it was too early to say if she would stand for the mayoralty next year.

"There's a lot of work to be done between now and next year – and my focus right now is on getting that done. I haven't really started to look ahead that far," Ms Reese said.

Councillor Aldo Miccio, who is rumoured to be among those with an eye on the mayoralty, said he had no plans at present to stand.

"Do I want to be mayor? Mayor of Tasman, maybe," he joked when asked by The Nelson Mail.

Mr Miccio said he had also heard the rumours, but there was no truth to them.

"It's way too early to decide if I'd even run for council, let alone mayor."

Long-serving city councillor and 2007 mayoral candidate Ian Barker said "all options were open" but he had not yet made up his mind whether to stand for mayor again.

Mr Barker said his decision would be based on what he considered would be best for the city.

"I will be waiting to see who comes forward from within the council and from outside, and if it's in the interests of the city ... because certain people, in my view, are not in this city's best interests."

Mr Barker declined to say who they were, but said it was particularly people from outside the council.

Councillor Gail Collingwood, who also stood for the mayoralty at the last election, said categorically: "I wouldn't stand again because I couldn't afford to."

However, she said she might stand for the council again.

Councillor Mark Holmes, the only other sitting councillor to have contested the mayoralty, said he would not repeat the exercise next year.

"I don't believe I will be standing for mayor. Perhaps I will stand again for the council, but I have a few plans looming."

Mr Holmes said being a committee chairman this time around meant it had been a particularly challenging term, with a heavier workload.

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